Economy

Uhuru asks officers named in EACC report to step aside

015030-01-02

President Uhuru Kenyatta has handed Parliament a confidential report prepared by Kenya's anti-graft agency and asked national and county government officials adversely mentioned in it to resign. PHOTO | SIMON MAINA |

President Uhuru Kenyatta has handed Parliament a confidential report prepared by Kenya's anti-graft agency and asked national and county government officials adversely mentioned in it to resign.

He especially noted that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission's secretariat were under siege because of the cases they were handling.

For the sake of transparency, the President said he had decided to attach the confidential report he had received from the commission's chief executive officer Halakhe Waqo.

The report includes the names of five Cabinet secretaries, six governors and dozens of other public officials.

READ LATEST: Uhuru faces up to corruption ghost with step-aside order.

President Kenyatta spoke during the State of the Nation address to a special joint sitting of the two Houses — the Senate and the National Assembly — on Thursday afternoon.

During the address the President apologised to all Kenyans for past wrongs committed against Kenyans.

The President said he had directed the National Treasury to establish a fund of Sh10 billion in the next three years for restorative justice as part of an effort to bring closure to the country's painful past.

President Kenyatta's speech came against the backdrop of rising corruption and insecurity in the country.

In his maiden State of the Nation address to both houses on March 27 last year, the President had promised to tackle corruption, address insecurity, contain the public wage bill and oversee the growth of the economy.

However, the goal is yet to be realised as rampant insecurity and widespread corruption cases have continued unabated, denting the government's image and ability to tackle the critical issues.

The State of the Nation address is a legal requirement, according to Article 132 of the Constitution, which requires the Head of State to address Parliament once a year.

CLICK HERE to read the Daily Nation's live blog of the State of the Nation address.